Opuscula cum duplici indicio.Paris, Jean Petit,

Petit's fine device on title-page, criblé initials throughout.

4to (203 x 143 mm). [14], CCC ff. Contemporary Italian dark brown morocco over thin paste boards, covers panelled by blind fillets, outer border of repeated leaf stamp, inner panel with floral stamps at each corner, central lozenge infilled with knot work design, spine with three raised double-bands, later paper labels, blue edges (headcaps and corners worn).

One of two volumes of St. Augustine's Opuscula, edited by Jodocus Badius, this edition follows that of 1513 with the same address which itself is based on the edition of André Bocard (1502). 

Provenance: inscription on rear endpaper dated 1613 of 'Antonio Bassy?'. Inscription of the Rev. Greville J. Chester (1830-92) on front free endpaper, presentation bookplate from him dated 1888 on front paste-down. "Greville Chester was ordained and, like many clergymen, had great interest in many scholarly areas from natural history to archaeology, including Egyptology. Almost every winter he would travel abroad, and Egypt was a favourite destination. It was here that he made friends with the influential excavator W.M.F. Petrie, whom he first met in 1881 on what Greville Chester noted was his 38th visit to Egypt. Although Greville Chester wrote numerous archaeological articles it was his role as a collector for which he is mainly remembered: he had a great knowledge of Egyptian antiquities and how to spot a good bargain. He was one of the most active helpers in purchasing objects abroad for the British Museum and several other institutions..." (see:http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/collections/egypt/collectionhistory/chester ). One of his greatest finds was possibly the oldest known prosthetic, a toe (see: http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=170683&partId=1 ).

Linear wormtrack affecting first 20 or so leaves, mostly in the inner margin but touching a few letters, a few other instances of marginal worm.

Moreau III, no. 18. Renouard, Badius, II, p. 60, no. 3 "Je n'ai pas recontré d'examplaire de la première partie".

 

 

Stock Code: 227752